Congress to Get Bill Prohibiting Racial Discrimination in U.S.

Rep. Jacob K, Javits announced today that he will introduce an omnibus bill dealing with segregation and discrimination when Congress reconvenes tomorrow. “Such legislation is urgently needed because of the terror bombings of Jews, Negroes, and Catholics in Florida,” he said.

“The basis for these outrages and offenses is the social pattern of racial segregation practiced in Florida and elsewhere,” he declared. “In view of the apparent inadequacy of Federal law to give the F.B.I. a basis for effective participation, as of right, in locating the culprits in the Florida bombings, I am today writing J. Edgar Hoover, director of the F.B.I., asking him to make recommendations to the Congress for Federal laws to give the F.B.I. the necessary powers to make arrests and support prosecutions in such a situation.”

Rep. Javits’ omnibus bill would establish a Federal F.E.P.C. to prohibit employment discrimination, eliminate the poll tax, make lynching a Federal offense, prohibit discrimination in any housing erected with Federal assistance, deprive any institution of higher learning of Federal support if it practices discrimination, eliminate segregation in the armed forces, and create a commission to study and report on civil rights in the United States.